Anesthesia

Description of the Procedure

To prepare you for surgery, an IV will be placed in your arm. You may receive fluids and medications through this line during the procedure. A breathing tube will be placed through your mouth and into your throat. This will help you breathe during surgery. You will also have a catheter placed in your bladder to drain urine.

The
laparoscopic
method
begins with several small cuts made in the abdomen. Gas will be pumped in to inflate your abdomen. This will make it easier for the doctor to see. A laparoscope and surgical tools will be inserted through the incisions. A laparoscope is a thin, lighted tool with a tiny camera. It sends images of your abdominal cavity to a monitor in the operating room. Your doctor will operate while viewing the area on this monitor.

Surgical staples will be used to divide your stomach into two unequal portions. The upper portion will be a small pouch. It will empty through a tiny opening into the lower portion. The small pouch can hold only ½ to 1 cup of soft, moist, and well-chewed food. A normal stomach can hold 4-6 cups.

Next, a plastic band will be wrapped around the tiny opening. This will prevent it from stretching. This band can be adjusted after surgery. The incisions will then be closed with staples or stitches.

Preventing Infection

During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to reduce your chance of infection, such as:

Washing their hands

Wearing gloves or masks

Keeping your incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to reduce your chance of infection, such as:

Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and healthcare providers to do the same

Reminding your healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks

Not allowing others to touch your incision

At Home

Be sure to follow your doctor’s
instructions. You will need to practice lifelong healthy eating and exercising habits. After your surgery:

Do not lift anything heavy for at least two weeks.

You may have emotional changes after this surgery. Your doctor may refer you to a therapist.

You will meet regularly with your healthcare team for monitoring and support.

Your new stomach is the size of a small egg. It is slow to empty. This will make you feel full quickly. Nutritional steps include:

You need to eat very small amounts and eat very slowly.

You will begin with 4-6 small meals per day. A meal is two ounces of food.

For the first 4-6 weeks after surgery, all food must be pureed.

When you move to solid foods, food must be well-chewed.

When making food choices, ensure that you are getting enough protein.

Eating too much or too quickly can cause vomiting or intense pain under your breastbone. Most people quickly learn how much food they can eat.

This procedure does not cause nausea and
diarrhea
if sweet or fatty foods are eaten. In fact, some people gain back weight because they continue to consume high-calorie foods. To promote ongoing weight loss, avoid high-calorie foods.

Be sure to follow your doctor’s
instructions.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if any of these occur:

Signs of infection, including fever and chills

Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site

References:

Bariatric surgery for severe obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at:
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm. Updated June 2011. Accessed December 4, 2014.

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